San Francisco Public Library Wins Urban
Libraries Council Innovation Award

Award-Winning Program Emphasizes
Foundations of 21st Century Library Success

The San Francisco Public Library has
won a national innovation award for its Gen PL: The Next Generation of Library
Leaders program. The 2011 Top
Innovators awards were recently announced by the Urban Libraries Council, a
membership organization made up of North America's leading public library
systems. ULC launched the Innovations
Initiative in 2010 to capture and showcase creative programs that demonstrate
the vital role public libraries play today in community life.

San Francisco Public Library was
recognized at the Urban Libraries Council Annual Conference, June 24-25, in New
Orleans.

In announcing the top innovations, ULC
President and CEO Susan Benton said the winning programs demonstrate the
remarkable work that occurs in libraries every day.

"The Gen PL program emphasizes
the foundations of 21st century library service which go far beyond
the traditional role as book lenders – it demonstrates how innovative
programming can transform communities," Benton said. "We congratulate San Francisco Public
Library for its innovation, creativity, and commitment to meeting the changing needs
of the communities they serve."

Eleven programs were selected from
more than 200 entries. Visit the ULC website at www.urbanlibraries.org for more information about the winning
innovations and all of the submissions.

San Francisco’s Gen PL program is a
leadership training program designed to develop the next generation of library
and city leaders and has also served to strengthen collaboration among library
units, improve internal communication and enhance library effectiveness.

“The goal of
the program is to build a culture at SFPL that recognizes the talent and
leadership skills of our staff, at all levels of the organization, and to
provide them with the tools and resources to ensure that the Library is well
positioned to continue to serve our diverse community. We are proud that
the Library is developing strong cohort of future leaders!” said City Librarian Luis Herrera.

About ULC. The Urban Libraries
Council is a membership organization made up of America's premier public library
systems and the corporations that support them.
While ULC's members primarily represent urban and suburban libraries,
its work is widely used by all libraries.
ULC strategically addresses issues important to all communities
including education, workforce and economic development, public safety,
environmental sustainability, health, and wellness. As ULC celebrates its 40-year anniversary,
its work focuses on helping library leaders develop and use skills and strategies
that match the challenges of the 21st century.